Drive for calculating-machines.



C. NIELSEN & C. I. BABCOCK.

DRIVE FOR CALCULATING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-5. I9I6.

Patented July 24, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Inventors. Christian Nielsen Ch ester l. BubcocK bYMWkW C. NIELSEN & C. l. BABCOCK.

DRIVE FOR CALCULATING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED was. 191s.v

1,234,685. Patented Julj 24, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

" 34 as as 7 lnvenTors. Chrisfiun Nidsen Chester I. BabcocK byWWz W Aflys.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHRISTIAN NIELSEN, 0F ROXBUBY, AND CHESTER IRA BAIBCOCK, OE NEWTONVILLE,

MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNORS TO ENSIGN MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF BOSTON,

MASSACHUSETTS.

DRIVE FOR CALCULATING-MACHINES.

. Specification of Letters Patent. Patented July 24, 19 17.

Application'filed August 5, 1916. Serial No. 113,298.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that we, CHRISTIAN N ELsEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Roxbury, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, and CHESTER IRA BABCOCK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newtonville, county of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Drives for Calculating-Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on'the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to improvements in controlling devices and relates more specifically to a driving mechanism for calculating machines and similar organizations.

It is common at .present to eniploy a spring motor to rotate the meter or indiciabearing means upon which the numerical results are displayed to the operative as the necessary torque is not readily built up by the small electric motors available for this purpose; and, furthermore, the strain of the constant starting under the maximum load is highly detrimental to this type of power source. Such spring motor is automatically re-wound, when its tension drops below a predetermined point, by the intermediary of an electricrmotor.

In this improvement an electric motor or other power means is employed, and, during the operation of the calculating machine, the power source runs continuously. The transmission of the power is effected through the interposition of a novel driving mechanism and clutch. It was found undesirable V clutch mechanism which will obviate the' jump and rebound of the index wheels or meter. v

A more specific object is to provide a driv ing mechanism which actuates the driven member through applying a constant torque thereto, the driven member being intermittently permitted to move to achieve its function.

Other objects of the invention will more fully appear from the following description and the accompanying drawings and will be pointed out in the annexed claims.

In the accompanying drawings, there has been disclosed a structure designed to carry out the objects of the invention, but it is to be understood that the invention is not confined to the exact features shown, as various changes may be made within its reasonable scope.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the novel clutch and drive as applied to a calculating machine;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 2; 5

Fig. t is a view similar to Fig. 1 of a modification 1 Fig. .5 is a view similar to Fig. l of an other modification.

The selected embodiment of this invention is disclosed in the drawings as having a casing 1. A metallic substance is employed for this purpose in order to effect economy in the space necessarily occupied by the device and aluminum is preferably used as its lightness aids in keeping the weight'of the machine as low as is compatible with efficiency and durability.

The shaft 2, which carries the numeral indeX wheel composing the meter upon which the arithmetical result is suitably displayed to the operative, is journaled in the casing 1. One of the journals is disclosed in section in Fig. 2. They each consist of a standard 3 having an offset portion affording a bearing 4 for the shaft 2. The casing 1 has, preferably, similar end slots 5, one being shown in Fig. 2. The tions in the assembling of the incased machine.

slots receive the shaft end pordriving element and the meter in this preferred embodiment. It has been common heretofore to have a clutch or stop-motion at the shaft opposite the drive. Disadvantages in this organization developed in that the whole meter-bearing shaft between the clutch and driving element was subject to torsional displacement due to shaft flexibilviz., that included between the driven member portion of the clutch and the meter,

which two devices are positioned relatively close together at one end of the shaft.

While it is understood that this drive and clutch may be used for various purposes, it"

is particularly adapted to fulfil such function in a calculating machine. The driving element is here shown as a small electric motor which is allowed to run constantly during the period in which the machine is employed. The indicator-bearing shaft is subjected to a constant torque imparted thereto by the power of the driving element communicated through several rotating instrumentalities carried by, and in constant frictional engagement with, a disk upon the shaft. A detent is operable to prevent shaft rotation and is releasable to permit its free rotation due to the mentioned frictional enga ement.

n the preferred embodiment as disclosed in the first three figures of the accompanying drawings, the novel means for imparting a constant torque to the shaft 2, is shown as borne on the'shaftend outside of the casing 1. Such novel means includes a disk 6 having a hub 7 mounted upon a sleeve 8 carried ,by the end portion ofthe shaft 2. A setscrew 9, passed through apertures in the hub 7 and sleeve 8 and spotted, as at 10, in the shaft 2, functions to retain the disk on the shaft 2 and rotatable'therewith. The instrumentalities frictionally actuating the disk are shown as rotatable devices such as flanged pulleys 11. Theplurality of bearings on the disk 5 for these pulleys 11 is provided in this embodiment by means of the studs 12. These studs are snnilar and each has a reduced screw-threaded portion 13 received in threaded engagement with an aperture in the disk 6. Their heads may each be provided witha slot 19 to afford a facile means for theirpositioning by means of a screw driver. surface 14 is provided on each stud and carried thereon is a bushing 15 upon which is mounted the pulley 11. The outer flange 16 of the stud 12 efiectually prevents. dis- A smooth annular bearingv placement of the bushing 15 which at itsinnerside is similarly prevented by the face of the disk 6. While any material or substance having the requisite qualities may be employed for such bushing, it is found that what is knownin the art as arguta wood functions efliciently for this purpose. Such material is usually a rock maple or similar wood treatedwith an oily wax or like sub-, stance and is commonly employed for selflubricating bearings. And while the selflubricating bushings are shown and described as one means for securing the desired modicum of friction between the pulleys 11 and their studs 12, it isto be understood that any construction is available to embody the invention in which the desired modicum of friction and lubrication are obtained.

These pulleys are actuable by means of an endless flexible connection which functions to transmit the power of the driving unit, here shown as an electric motor 42.

Such connection advantageously employed is belting 17. This belting engages, as shown, several of the ulleys. And, while any suitable number of pulleys may be employed, it is found that seven of them work advantageously. A second such connection, such as a belt 18, engages the periphery of each pulley 11 and functions to cause them' all to be actuated upon the rotation of one. Such provision functions to make available the cumulative drag or frictional resistance of all of the pulleys; whereas, were it not employed, two pulleys, as shown in Fig. 1, would not aid in rotating the disk when it is first released. While the arguta wood bushin s afl'ord sufiicient lubrication so that the ul eys may idly rotate with a modicum of riction, they provide suflicient resistance to the rotation of the pulleys, constantly driven during the use of the machine, so

that a moment of forces tending to produce rotation is constantly acting upon the disk 6 and hence this torque is likewise imparted to the'shaft 2 with which the disk is rotatable and to which it is aiiixed.

the shaft, under the torque, may readily be permitted as desired. To this end, a disk 20 is mounted upon the shaft 2 and is held revoluble with the shaft by the pin 21. An arm 22 is secured by the screw 23 to the face of this disk which is toward the drive end of the shaft. This arm has a terminally offset portion 24 which is normally engaged by a stopwhich prevents movement of the disk. ThlS stop member or detent is movable to release the disk arm by means of a system of levers actuated by the usual adding bar of the calculating machine. A set of levers to .control the release of the clutch disk is shown in the drawings though obviously they may be of any type effecting the desired disk-controlling function. In the embodiment here illustrated, the arm 25 is pivotally mounted on the casing. The lower end of this arm is preferably forked, having two lateral arms terminally ofiset and forming the shoulders 26. In normal position the shoulder adjacent the disk projects within the path of traverse of the arm 22 and prevents movement of the disk and shaft. The end portion 27 of a bell crank lever, similarly pivotally mounted is received between the two shoulders 26. A spring 28, secured to the opposite arm 29 of the bell crank lever and to the casing 1, nor,- mally tends upwardly to push this arm 29 and henceinwardly to hold the shoulder 26 in the pathof the ofiset portion 24 of the disk arm 22. The'usual adding bar 30 on the front of the calculating machine is mounted so that, upon its manual depression, its boss 31 will depress the arm 32 of a pivoted bell crank lever. The arm 33 of such lever, contacting with the arm 29 will depress the latter against the tension of the spring 28. Thus, upon the depression of the bar 30, the pivoted arm 25 is withdrawn.

In operation the device is simple, efiicient, durable and overcomes efiectively the disadvantages of the present drive. When it is desired to permit the revolution of the shaft 2 in order to cause the meter or index wheels to function, the adding bar 30 is downwardly pressed. This force transmitted through the lever system effectuates the withdrawal of the shoulder 26 from engagement with the offset portion 24 of the disk arm 22. The disk 20 and shaft 2 are then freely revoluble under the torque constantly imparted to the shaft by the novel driving mechanism herein. The pick up or acceleration is certain, rapid and without jar,

jump or noise, nor is an electric motor overtaxed by a sudden load, as the load on the power source is substantially constant. When the key-bar is depressed it is immediately released so that the shoulder, under the indirect action of the spring 28, immediately resumes its place in the path of the portion 24 of the disk arm. Therevolution of the shaft having been completed, the further movement is arrested by the engagement of the disk arm and the detent. The stoppage of the shaft is certain and without rebound or back-lash as the turning movement is still applied to the shaft and holds the shaft immovably with the disk arm a ainst the detent or stop. Should any part 0% the mechanism become jammed it is obvious that, when resistance to shaft revolution passes a predetermined point, the shaft may rest immovable and injury to the parts avoided. In this selected embodiment, the power source here indicated'as' a small electric motor 42, is provided with a novel mounting. Due to the nature of this new drive, it has been found advisable to provide means which automatically take up slack or compensate for any belting variations. To this end, a bracket 34 is secured to the casing 1, though obviously it may be formed integral therewith if desired. The motor supfunction, This spring 37 is secured to the 1 casing 1 at one end and is preferably upwardly curved to present a base portion upon which the motor rests. The weight of the motor tends to cause it to gravitate in an are about the pivot pin 36 as a center. The position and resilient qualities of the spring 37 are such that the motor assumes such a position that the wei ht of the motor is partially counterbalanced by the spring while the remainder of the weight is taken up by affording the requisite tautness to the belt 17. The motor is thus. yieldably mounted automatically to compensate for variations in belt adjustment.

In Fig. 4 there has been disclosed a modification of the drive employed. Therein, the the secondary or pulley belt 18 is dispensed ;with andthe belting 17 contacts directly with the peripheral surfaces'of the pulleys 11 instead of contacting with the outer face of the belt 18. In the modification shown in Fig. 5, the secondary .belt 18 is similarly not employed. Herein, the two pulleys 39' and 40 bear a fixed relation.to the disk 6, being without the bushing 15, as there shown. In theembodiment of the invention disclosed in this application the rotation of the disk 6 is always arrested bythe detent at the same v point. This is obvious from a glance at the structure disclosed in Fig. 3 which shows that the offset portion 24 is alwaysstopped by the shoulder 26 at the same peripheral point. Hence, the instruinentalities which are positioned on the disk 6 at the space opposite the power source are out of contact with the belt when the disk is detained.

The two fixed pulleys'39 and 40 are positioned at such space in this embodiment. They are mounted without relative movement with. respect to the disk 6 and therefore, when the disk is released, they function because of their non-rotatability more positively and quickly to transmit the torque of the belting motion to the disk 6. The numher of instrumentalities, so fixed and so functioning, will vary with the number employed on the disk, and, in the embodiment here shown, the disk is provided with five rotatable and two non-rotatable pulleys.

It is to be understood that the construction disclosed herein is illustrative but not restrictive and that the same may be'modified within the meaning and scope of the vclaims which follow.

Having fully described our invention,

what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A driving mechanism comprising a driv ing element, a driven member, a flexible,

element and said member, means preventing rotation of the driven member and operable to permit the same, and movable-means on the driven member actuated by said transmission to impart constant torque to said member whereby it is rotated when permitted by said preventing means.

2. A driving mechanism comprising a driving element, a rotatable driven member, a flexible, endless transmission device connecting said element and said member, means preventing rotation of the driven member and operable to permit the same, rotatable means on said rotatable driven member, actuated by the transmission device, and having resistance to rotation suificient to cause the driven member to rotate when permitted by said preventing means.

3. A driving mechanism comprising a driving element, a rotatable driven member, a

flexible, endless transmission device connect ing said element and said member, a detent to prevent rotation of the driven member and operable to permit the same, a plurality 0f rotatable instrumentalities on said driven member, a bearing 'on said driven member for each instrumentality, said instrumentalities being rotated by said transmission device and functioning to transmit torque to the driven member whereby said member is rotated when permitted by said detent.

4. A driving mechanism comprising a driving element, a rotatable driven member, a flexible, endless transmission device connect- 7 ing said element and said member, a detent to prevent rotation of the driven member an operable to permit the same, a plural ty of rotatable instrumentalities on said member, said device functioning to actuate sa d rotatable instrumentalities, a bearing on sa1d driven member for each rotatable instrumentality affording a modicum of fr ct on to each, and means causing all of said mstrumentalities to rotate together thereby causing the cumulative friction to impart a endless transmission device connecting said 7 constant torque to the driven member whereby it is rotated under its load when permitted by said detent.

5. A driving mechanism comprising a driving element, a rotatable driven member, a flexible endless transmission connecting said element and said member and functioning yieldably to drive the member, a detent to prevent rotation of the driven member and operable to permit the same, a support for the driven member, pivotal means for securing the driving element to said support, and tension means supporting the driving element whereby compensation is automatically afforded for transmission variations.

6. A driving mechanism. comprising a driving element, a rotatable driven member, a flexible endless transmission connecting said driving element and said member and functioning td drive the member, a detent to prevent rotation of the member and operable to permit the same, a support for the driven member, pivotal means on said support to secure the driving element thereto, resilient means carried by said support yieldably to bear a portion of the weight of the driving element whereby the other portion thereof automatically maintains the adjustment of the transmission. I

7 A driving-mechanism comprising a driving element, a rotatable driven disk, a detent to prevent rotation of the disk and releasable to permit its rotation, a plurality of bearings annularly arranged on said disk, a bushing on each bearing, an instrumentality rotatably mounted on each bushing, said bushings aifording a modicum of resistance to rotation of the instrumentalities wherebyupon actuation of the instrumentalities a torque is constantly transmitted to the disk, a transmission connecting said driving element and said instrumentalities, whereby said instrumentalities idly rotate when the.

disk is detained and upon its release said disk is rotated.

8. A driving instrumentality comprising a driving element, a rotatable drivendisk, a

detent to prevent rotation of the disk and releasable to permit its rotation, a plurality of bearings annularly arranged on said disk, a bushin on each bearing, an instrumentality rotatald ly mounted on each bearing, said bushings affording a modicum of resistance to rotation of the instrumentalities, a flexible, endless transmission connecting said detent to prevent rotation of the disk and re-- leasable to pelmit its rotation, a plurality of bearings annularly arranged on said disk, an instrumentality' rotatably mounted on each bearing, said bearings affording a modicum of resistance to rotation of the instrumentalities, flexible endless transmission connecting said driving element and said disk, said transmission engaging a number of said instrumentalities at one time, flexible endless means engaging all said instrumentalities whereby, upon the actuation of some, the resistance of all is available to cause rotation of said disk when released by the detent.

10. A driving instrumentality comprising a driving element, a rotatable driven disk, a detent to prevent rotation of the disk and releasable to permit its rotation, a plurality of bearings annularly arranged on said disk, a pulley rotatably mounted on each bearing, said bearings affording a modicum of resistance to rotation of the pulleys, an endless belt actuated b the driving element and engagin a num er of the pulleys at one time, an endless belt engaging all the the resistance 0 11. A driving mechanism comprising a driving element, a rotatable driven member, a flexible, endless transmission device connecting said element and said member, a detent to prevent rotation of the driven member and operable to permit the same, a plurality of self-lubricating bearings mounted on said driven member, and a rotatable instrumentality mounted on each of said bearings, said transmission device idly rotating said instrumentalities when the driven member is detained and maintaining a .torque upon said driven member whereby the driven member is rotated when permitted by the detent.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification.

- CHRISTIAN NIELSEN. CHESTER IRA BABGOOK. 

